aid to her coachman. Vesty saw her approach. Off
there in the bay, sublimely guarding and making a gateway to its
waters, were two little green mountain peaks of islands, just a narrow
surge of the waters flowing between; the "Lions," the "Twin Brothers,"
they were called.

One does not look off daily, from one's very infancy, on such a view
for nothing. Mrs. Garrison saw the "lion" in Vesty's quick-divining
eyes, and was glad.

"Anything but heart-break and slow consumption. Of battle I am not
afraid," she said to herself.

"I took a fancy to leave my carriage and walk a bit among those old
trees. I used to know them well. Will you go with me, child?"

"Certainly, Mrs. Garrison." Vesty handed the baby which she was
tending to its mother, and walked away with the fine lady.

"Vesta Kirtland," said Mrs. Garrison, as they entered the shadow of the
woods, "your face tells me plainly that you know I have some object in
asking you to walk with me here. I have.

"I am proud, cold, indifferent regarding you people here; I have not
noticed you, hardly even by recognition, if we chanced to meet in the
lanes; yes, I know. I bring no personal claims. But"--she was going
to say, "you are fond of Notely," but she looked at the girl, and a
proud, sarcastic smile curved her lips instead--"my son, Notely
Garrison, adores you, I believe? I do not know whether you care for
him; I presume not so ardently; but if you were even a little fond of
him, for the sake of childhood days when he made you his little
playmate--you would try to do the best for his good now--would you not,
child?"

Vesty showed so few symptoms of slow consumption, and the lions in the
gateway of her soul glowed so ominously, that Mrs. Garrison concluded
to be brief. She turned her face away a little; the operation was
unpleasant, and she took out the knife, only in speech.

"Notely has quixotic ideas in many ways: if he had given any ground for
a foolish confidence in his boyhood he would hold to it now, against
all his life's advancement, filial duty--yes, even against personal
inclination, for that matter."

Mrs. Garrison was a resolved surgeon. "Do you know what Notely's
prospects are in life--socially, politically, financially? But he must
take the tide as it serves. To turn now is to lose all. He has many
friends. He is beloved by a rich, beautiful, accomplished girl,
influential in that sphere where her family have for so long moved.